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Liverpool’s assistant coach has hinted that the club is unlikely to seek a new defender in January as they prefer to rely on the youth squad.
The Reds are naked in the back, with Joel Matip the only recognized center back fit for action.
Fabinho has intervened magnificently alongside his injury-prone teammate, but Jurgen Klopp has been forced to rely on fringe men for cover.
Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have been called up to fill the void, with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez ruled out for much of the season.
But it seems unlikely that Klopp will dive into the transfer market in January to ease his defensive crisis.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Lijnders emphasized that Liverpool’s backup plan was not based on individuals but rather on a “collective idea.”
“It’s always like this, but some devastating moments create life-changing moments for other players because we have a lot of faith in our young blood, in the players we raise, our own players,” he told Liverpool’s official website:
“These moments when you lose an elite player automatically create a great opportunity for a young player, because we invest a lot of time and we have a great commitment to them to be part of our team.”
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It has been an extremely interesting start to the season for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
The title defense got off to a shaky start when they beat a seven-goal thriller against Leeds, before going to seven conceded in a beating of Aston Villa.
Virgil van Dijk’s season ended with injury in a 2-2 draw at Everton, leaving the title favorites much less secure in the back, especially with Alisson’s concern about injury.
But there is no slowdown in what will be a busy campaign, with Klopp making sure his men keep up with him as they battle for more titles.
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This has also been reflected in the absences of other key Liverpool stars.
In addition to Curtis Jones’ starring role in midfield, Neco Williams has substituted well for Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Caoimhin Kelleher has established himself as the club’s No. 2 goalkeeper.
There were also debuts for Leighton Clarkson and Billy Koumetio during Wednesday’s dead rubber game against Midtjylland.
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(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool run the risk of becoming incredibly light on defense if Matip or Fabinho are offside again, but Lijnders has a lot of faith in their young substitutes.
“What I’m trying to say is: I feel like the best backup plan really is the Academy,” he added. “If the Academy is right and there is a fluid process between the Academy and the first team, the best backup plan is always the young players because they will never let you down, never, never.”
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